February: Its Origins and Pagan Festivals

February, named after the pagan festival Lupercalia, was a time of purification and fertility in ancient Rome. Lupercalia, celebrated between February 13th and 15th, included the ritualistic whipping of women's arses with strips of dog skin called februas. The festival aimed to ensure the birth of healthy lambs and promote human fertility. Conjectures remain about the consensual nature of this act of violence. However, over time, Lupercalia was replaced by St. Valentine's Day, which introduced the tradition of sending love letters instead of whipping.